{"collection":"scripture-revelation","full_text_available":true,"graph_url":"https://unchartedknowledge.5gfusion.net/v2/api/page/gutenberg_11449/graph","html_url":"https://unchartedknowledge.5gfusion.net/v2/page/gutenberg_11449","id":"gutenberg_11449","license":"Public Domain (US)","rights_basis":"gutenberg_metadata_copyright_false","source":"gutenberg","source_url":"https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/11449","summary":null,"tags":["Baptists -- Missions","Category: History - Religious","Category: Philosophy & Ethics","Category: Religion/Spirituality","Missions"],"text":"AN ENQUIRY INTO THE\n\n                      OBLIGATIONS OF CHRISTIANS,\n\n                         TO USE MEANS FOR THE\n\n                     CONVERSION OF THE HEATHENS.\n\n\n\n            IN WHICH THE RELIGIOUS STATE OF THE DIFFERENT\n             NATIONS OF THE WORLD, THE SUCCESS OF FORMER\n               UNDERTAKINGS, AND THE PRACTICABILITY OF\n                FURTHER UNDERTAKINGS, ARE CONSIDERED,\n\n\n\n                          BY WILLIAM CAREY.\n\n\n\n      For there is no Difference between the Jew and the Greek;\n   for the same Lord over all, is rich unto all that call upon him.\n   For whosoever shall call on the name of the Lord shall be saved.\n        How then shall they call on him, in whom they have not\n       believed? and how shall they believe in him of whom they\n     have not heard? and how shall they hear without a Preacher?\n            and how shall they preach except they be sent?\n\n                                                              PAUL.\n\n\n\n\n                              MDCCXCII.\n\n\n\n\n                             INTRODUCTION\n\n\nAs our blessed Lord has required us to pray that his kingdom may come,\nand his will be done on earth as it is in heaven, it becomes us not\nonly to express our desires of that event by words, but to use every\nlawful method to spread the knowledge of his name. In order to this,\nit is necessary that we should become, in some measure acquainted with\nthe religious state of the world; and as this is an object we should\nbe prompted to pursue, not only by the gospel of our Redeemer, but\neven by the feelings of humanity, so an inclination to conscientious\nactivity therein would form one of the strongest proofs that we are\nthe subjects of grace, and partakers of that spirit of universal\nbenevolence and genuine philanthropy, which appear so eminent in\nthe of God himself.\n\nSin was introduced amongst the children of men by the fall of Adam,\nand has ever since been spreading its baneful influence. By changing\nits appearances to suit the circumstances of the times, it has grown\nup in ten thousand forms, and constantly counteracted the will and\ndesigns of God. One would have supposed that the remembrance of the\ndeluge would have been transmitted from father to son, and have\nperpetually deterred mankind from transgressing the will of their\nMaker; but so blinded were they, that in the time of Abraham, gross\nwickedness prevailed wherever colonies were planted, and the iniquity\nof the Amorites was great, though not yet full. After this, idolatry\nspread more and more, till the seven devoted nations were cut off with\nthe most signal marks of divine displeasure. Still, however, the\nprogress of evil was not stopped, but the Israelites themselves too\noften joined with the rest of mankind against the God of Israel. In\none period the grossest ignorance and barbarism prevailed in the\nworld; and afterwards, in a more enlightened age, the most daring\ninfidelity, and contempt of God; so that the world which was once\nover-run with ignorance, now _by wisdom knew not God, but changed the\nglory of the incorruptible God_ as much as in the most barbarous ages,\n_into an image made like to corruptible man, and to birds, and\nfour-footed beasts, and creeping things_. Nay, as they increased in\nscience and politeness, they ran into more abundant and extravagant\nidolatries.\n\nYet God repeatedly made known his intention to prevail finally over\nall the power of the Devil, and to destroy all his works, and set up\nhis own kingdom and interest among men, and extend it as universally\nas Satan had extended his. It was for this purpose that the Messiah\ncame and died, that God might be just, and the justifier of all that\nshould believe in him. When he had laid down his life, and taken it up\nagain, he sent forth his disciples to preach the good tidings to every\ncreature, and to endeavour by all possible methods to bring over a\nlost world to God. They went forth according to their divine\ncommission, and wonderful success attended their labours; the\ncivilized greeks, and uncivilized barbarians, each yielded to the\ncross of Christ, and embraced it as the only way of salvation. Since\nthe apostolic age many other attempts to spread the gospel have been\nmade, which have been considerably successful, notwithstanding which a\nvery considerable part of mankind are still involved in all the\ndarkness of heathenism. Some attempts are still making, but they are\ninconsiderable in comparison of what might be done if the whole body\nof Christians entered heartily into the spirit of the divine command\non this subject. Some think little about it, others are unacquainted\nwith the state of the world, and others love their wealth better than\nthe souls of their fellow-creatures.\n\nIn order that the subject may be taken into more serious\nconsideration, I shall enquire, whether the commission given by our\nLord to his disciples be not still binding on us,--take a short view\nof former undertakings,--give some account of the present state of the\nworld, consider the practicability of doing something more than is\ndone,--and the duty of Christians in general in this matter.\n\n\n\n\n\n                           AN ENQUIRY, &c.\n\n\n\n\n                               SECT. I.\n\n\n         _An Enquiry whether the Commission given by our Lord\n            to his Disciples be not still binding on us._\n\n\nOur Lord Jesus Christ, a little before his departure, commissioned his\napostles to _Go_, and _teach all nations_; or, as another evangelist\nexpresses it, _Go into all the world, and preach the gospel to every\ncreature_. This commission was as extensive as possible, and laid them\nunder obligation to disperse themselves into every country of the\nhabitable globe, and preach to all the inhabitants, without exception,\nor limitation. They accordingly went forth in obedience to the\ncommand, and the power of God evidently wrought with them. Many\nattempts of the same kind have been made since their day, and which\nhave been attended with various success; but the work has not been\ntaken up, or prosecuted of late years (except by a few individuals)\nwith that zeal and perseverance with which the primitive Christians\nwent about it. It seems as if many thought the commission was\nsufficiently put in execution by what the apostles and others have\ndone; that we have enough to do to attend to the salvation of our own\ncountrymen; and that, if God intends the salvation of the heathen, he\nwill some way or other bring them to the gospel, or the gospel to\nthem. It is thus that multitudes sit at ease, and give themselves no\nconcern about the far greater part of their fellow-sinners, who to\nthis day, are lost in ignorance and idolatry. There seems also to be\nan opinion existing in the minds of some, that because the apostles\nwere extraordinary officers and have no proper successors, and because\nmany things which were right for them to do would be utterly\nunwarrantable for us, therefore it may not be immediately binding on\nus to execute the commission, though it was so upon them. To the\nconsideration of such persons I would offer the following\nobservations.\n\nFIRST, If the command of Christ to teach all nations be restricted to\nthe apostles, or those under the immediate inspiration of the Holy\nGhost, then that of baptizing should be so too; and every denomination\nof Christians, except the Quakers, do wrong in baptizing with water at\nall.\n\nSECONDLY, If the command of Christ to teach all nations be confined to\nthe apostles, then all such ordinary ministers who have endeavoured to\ncarry the gospel to the heathens, have acted without a warrant, and\nrun before they were sent. Yea, and though God has promised the most\nglorious things to the heathen world by sending his gospel to them,\nyet whoever goes first, or indeed at all, with that message, unless he\nhave a new and special commission from heaven, must go without any\nauthority for so doing.\n\nTHIRDLY, If the command of Christ to teach all nations extend only to\nthe apostles, then, doubtless, the promise of the divine presence in\nthis work must be so limited; but this is worded in such a manner as\nexpressly precludes such an idea. _Lo, I am with you always, to the\nend of the world._\n\nThat there are cases in which even a divine command may cease to be\nbinding is admitted--As for instance, if it be _repealed_, as the\nceremonial commandments of the jewish law; or if there be _no\nsubjects_ in the world for the commanded act to be exercised upon, as\nin the law of septennial release, which might be dispensed with when\nthere should be no poor in the land to have their debts forgiven.\nDeut. xv. 4. or if, in any particular instance, we can produce a\n_counter-revelation_, of equal authority with the original command, as\nwhen Paul and Silas were forbidden of the Holy Ghost to preach the\nword in Bythinia. Acts xvi. 6. 7. or if, in any case, there be a\n_natural impossibility_ of putting it in execution. It was not the\nduty of Paul to preach Christ to the inhabitants of Otaheite, because\nno such place was then discovered, nor had he any means of coming at\nthem. But none of these things can be alledged by us in behalf of the\nneglect of the commission given by Christ. We cannot say that it is\nrepealed, like the commands of the ceremonial law; nor can we plead\nthat there are no objects for the command to be exercised upon. Alas!\nthe far greater part of the world, as we shall see presently,\nare still covered with heathen darkness! Nor can we produce a\ncounter-revelation, concerning any particular nation, like that to\nPaul and Silas, concerning Bythinia; and, if we could, it would not\nwarrant our sitting still and neglecting all the other parts of the\nworld; for Paul and Silas, when forbidden to preach to those heathens,\nwent elsewhere, and preached to others. Neither can we alledge a\nnatural impossibility in the case. It has been said that we ought not\nto force our way, but to wait for the openings, and leadings of\nProvidence; but it might with equal propriety be answered in this case,\nneither ought we to neglect embracing those openings in providence which\ndaily present themselves to us. What openings of providence do we wait\nfor? We can neither expect to be transported into the heathen world\nwithout ordinary means, nor to be endowed with the gift of tongues,\n&c. when we arrive there. These would not be providential interpositions,\nbut miraculous ones. Where a command exists nothing can be necessary to\nrender it binding but a removal of those obstacles which render\nobedience impossible, and these are removed already.  Natural\nimpossibility can never be pleaded so long as facts exist to prove the\ncontrary. Have not the popish missionaries surmounted all those\ndifficulties which we have generally thought to be insuperable? Have\nnot the missionaries of the _Unitas Fratrum_, or Moravian Brethren,\nencountered the scorching heat of Abyssinia, and the frozen climes of\nGreenland, and Labrador, their difficult languages, and savage\nmanners? Or have not English traders, for the sake of gain, surmounted\nall those things which have generally been counted insurmountable\nobstacles in the way of preaching the gospel? Witness the trade to\nPersia, the East-Indies, China, and Greenland, yea even the accursed\nSlave-Trade on the coasts of Africa. Men can insinuate themselves into\nthe favour of the most barbarous clans, and uncultivated tribes, for\nthe sake of gain; and how different soever the circumstances of\ntrading and preaching are, yet this will prove the possibility of\nministers being introduced there; and if this is but thought a\nsufficient reason to make the experiment, my point is gained.\n\nIt has been said that some learned divines have proved from Scripture\nthat the time is not yet come that the heathen should be converted;\nand that first the _witnesses must be slain_, and many other\nprophecies fulfilled. But admitting this to be the case (which I much\ndoubt[1]) yet if any objection is made from this against preaching to\nthem immediately, it must be founded on one of these things; either\nthat the secret purpose of God is the rule of our duty, and then it\nmust be as bad to pray for them, as to preach to them; or else that\nnone shall be converted in the heathen world till the universal\ndown-pouring of the Spirit in the last days. But this objection comes\ntoo late; for the success of the gospel has been very considerable in\nmany places already.\n\n[Footnote 1: See Edwards on Prayer, on this subject, lately re-printed\nby Mr. Sutcliffe.]\n\nIt has been objected that there are multitudes in our own nation, and\nwithin our immediate spheres of action, who are as ignorant as the\nSouth-Sea savages, and that therefore we have work enough at home,\nwithout going into other countries. That there are thousands in our\nown land as far from God as possible, I readily grant, and that this\nought to excite us to ten-fold diligence in our work, and in attempts\nto spread divine knowledge amongst them is a certain fact; but that it\nought to supercede all attempts to spread the gospel in foreign parts\nseems to want proof. Our own countrymen have the means of grace, and\nmay attend on the word preached if they chuse it. They have the means\nof knowing the truth, and faithful ministers are placed in almost\nevery part of the land, whose spheres of action might be much extended\nif their congregations were but more hearty and active in the cause:\nbut with them the case is widely different, who have no Bible, no\nwritten language, (which many of them have not,) no ministers, no good\ncivil government, nor any of those advantages which we have. Pity\ntherefore, humanity, and much more Christianity, call loudly for every\npossible exertion to introduce the gospel amongst them.\n\n\n\n\n                              SECT. II.\n\n\n        _Containing a short Review of former Undertakings for\n                   the Conversion of the Heathen._\n\n\nBefore the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ the whole world were either\nheathens, or jews; and both, as to the body of them were enemies to\nthe gospel. After the resurrection the disciples continued in\nJerusalem till Pentecost. Being daily engaged in prayer and\nsupplication, and having chosen Matthias, to supply the place of Judas\nin the apostolic office, on that solemn day, when they were all\nassembled together, a most remarkable effusion of the Holy Spirit took\nplace, and a capacity of speaking in all foreign languages was\nbestowed upon them. This opportunity was embraced by Peter for\npreaching the gospel to a great congregation of jews and proselytes,\nwho were from Parthia, Media, Elam, Mesopotamia, Judea, Cappadocia,\nthe proconsular Asia, Phrygia, Pamphylia, Egypt, Lybia, Crete, Arabia,\nRome, &c. and at the first effort God wrought so powerfully that three\nthousand were converted, who immediately after were baptized, and\nadded to the church.  Before this great addition they consisted of but\nabout _an hundred and twenty persons_, but from that time they\ncontinually increased. It was but a little after this that Peter and\nJohn, going up to the temple, healed the lame man; this miracle drew a\ngreat multitude together, and Peter took occasion while they stood\nwondering at the event, to preach Jesus Christ to them. The\nconsequence was that five thousand more believed.\n\nThis was not done without opposition; the priests and sadducees tried\nall the methods they could invent to prevent them from preaching the\ngospel. The apostles, however, asserted their divine warrant, and as\nsoon as they were set at liberty addressed God, and prayed that a\ndivine power might attend their labours, which petition was heard, and\ntheir future ministry was very successful. On account of their\nnecessities who were engaged in this good work, those amongst them who\nhad possessions, or goods, sold them, and devoted the money to pious\nuses.\n\nAbout this time a man and his wife out of great pretensions to piety,\nsold an estate, and brought part of the money to the apostles,\npretending it to be the whole; for which dissimulation both he and his\nwife, were struck dead by the hand of God. This awful catastrophe\nhowever was the occasion of many more men and women being added to the\nchurch. The miracles wrought by the apostles, and the success\nattending their ministry, stirred up greater envy in the priests and\nsadducees, who imprisoned them; from which confinement they were soon\nliberated by an angel; upon which they went immediately as they were\ncommanded and preached in the temple: here they were seized, and\nbrought before the council, where Gamaliel spake in their favour, and\nthey were dismissed. After this they continued to prosecute their\nwork, rejoicing that they were counted worthy to suffer shame for the\nname of Christ.\n\nBy this time the church at Jerusalem was so increased that the\nmultiplicity of its temporal concerns was the occasion of some\nneglects, which produced a dissatisfaction. The apostles, therefore,\nrecommended to the church to chuse seven pious men, whose office it\nshould be to attend upon its temporal affairs; that _they might give\nthemselves to prayer, and the ministry of the word_. Seven were\naccordingly chosen, over whom the apostles prayed, and ordained them\nto the office of Deacons by imposition of hands: and these things\nbeing settled the church increased more and more. One of these\nDeacons, whose name was Stephen, being a person of eminent knowledge\nand holiness, wrought many miracles, and disputed with great evidence\nand energy for the truth of Christianity, which raised him up a number\nof opponents. These soon procured his death, and carried their\nresentment so far as to stir up such a persecution that the church,\nwhich till now had been confined to Jerusalem, was dispersed, and all\nthe preachers except the apostles were driven thence, and went every\nwhere preaching the word.\n\nA young man whose name was _Saul_, was very active in this\npersecution; he had been educated under Gamaliel, a member of the\nSanhedrim, was a person of promising genius, by profession a Pharisee,\nand much attached to the jewish ceremonies. When Stephen was stoned he\nappeared much pleased with it, and had the custody of the clothes of\nhis executioners; and from that time was fired with such a spirit of\npersecution himself, that he went about dragging some to prison, and\ncompelling others to blaspheme the name of the Lord Jesus. Neither was\nhe contented with exercising his rage at Jerusalem, but went to the\nchief priests and obtained testimonials of authority to carry on the\nsame work at Damascus. But on his way, as he was almost ready to enter\ninto the city, the Lord changed his heart in a very wonderful manner;\nso that instead of entering the town to persecute, he began to preach\nthe gospel as soon as he was able. This presently brought upon him the\nsame persecution which he had designed to exercise upon others, and\neven endangered his life, so that the brethren found it necessary to\nlet him down the city wall in a basket by night, and so he escaped the\nhands of his enemies. From thence he went to Jerusalem where he\npreached the word, but being persecuted there, he went to Cesarea, and\nfrom thence to Tarsus.\n\nIn the time of this trouble in the church, Philip went and preached at\nSamaria with great success, nay so great was the work that an\nimpostor, who had deceived the people with legerdemain tricks for a\nlong time was so amazed, and even convinced, as to profess himself a\nChristian, and was baptized; but was afterwards detected, and appeared\nto be an hypocrite. Besides him a great number believed in reality,\nand being baptized a church was formed there. Soon after this the Lord\ncommanded Philip to go the way which led from Jerusalem to Gaza, which\nhe did, and there found an eunuch of great authority in the court of\nEthiopia, to whom he preached Christ, who believed, and was baptized;\nafter which Philip preached at Ashdod, or Azotus.\n\nAbout the same time Peter went to Lydda, or Diospolis, and cured Eneas\nof a palsy, which was a mean of the conversion not only of the\ninhabitants of that town, but also of the neighbouring country, called\nSaron, the capital of which was Lasharon; and while he was there, a\ncircumstance turned up which tended much to the spread of the truth. A\nwoman of Joppa, a sea-port town in the neighbourhood, dying, they sent\nto Lydda for Peter, who went over, and when he had prayed she was\nraised to life again; which was an occasion of the conversion of many\nin that town. Peter continued there preaching for some time, and\nlodged at the house of a tanner.\n\nNow another circumstance also tended to the further propogation of\nChristianity, for a Roman military officer who had some acquaintance\nwith the Old Testament Scriptures, but was not circumcised, was one\nday engaged in prayer in his house at Cesarea, when an angel appeared\nto him, and bid him send for Peter from Joppa to preach in his house.\nBefore this the work of God had been wholly confined to the jews, and\njewish proselytes, and even the apostles appeared to have had very\ncontracted ideas of the Christian dispensation; but now God by a\nvision discovered to Peter that Christianity was to be spread into all\nnations. He accordingly went and preached at the house of Cornelius,\nat Cesarea, when several were converted, and baptized, and the\nfoundation of a church laid in that city.\n\nSome of the dispersed ministers having fled to Antioch in Syria, began\nto preach to the greeks in that city about the same time, and had good\nsuccess; upon which the apostles sent Paul and Barnabas, who\ninstructed and strengthened them, and a church was formed in that city\nalso, which in a little time sent out several eminent preachers.\n\nIn the Acts of the apostles we have an account of _four_ of the\nprincipal journies which Paul, and his companions undertook. The\nfirst, in which he was accompanied by Barnabas, is recorded in the\nxiii. and xiv. chapters, and was the first _attack_ on the heathen\nworld. It was a journey into the lesser Asia. In their way they passed\nover the island of Cyprus. No sooner had they entered on their\nundertaking, than they met with great difficulty; for Mark, whom they\nhad taken as their minister, deserted them, and returned to Jerusalem,\nwhere, it seems, he thought he should enjoy the greatest quiet. Paul\nand Barnabas however went forward; in every city they preached the\nword of the Lord, entering into the jewish synagogues and first\npreaching Christ to them, and then to the gentiles. They were heard\nwith great candour and eagerness by some, and rejected by others with\nobstinacy and wrath, and cruel persecution. One while they had enough\nto do to restrain the people from worshipping them as gods, and soon\nafter, Paul was stoned, dragged out of the city, and left for dead.\nHaving penetrated as far as Derbe, they thought proper to return by\nthe way that they came, calling at every city where they had sown the\ngood seed, and finding in most, if not all these places, some who had\nembraced the gospel, they exhorted and strengthened them in the faith,\nformed them into a church state, and ordained them elders, fasted and\nprayed with them; and so having commended them to the Lord on whom\nthey had believed, returned to Antioch in Syria, from whence they\nfirst set out, and rehearsed to the church all that God had done with\nthem, and how he had opened the door of faith to the gentiles.\n\nAbout this time a dispute arising in the churches concerning\ncircumcision, Paul and Barnabas were deputed to go up to Jerusalem, to\nconsult the apostles and elders on the subject. This business being\nadjusted, they, accompanied with Judas and Silas, returned to Antioch\nwith the general resolution, and continued there for a season,\nteaching and preaching the word of the Lord.\n\nPaul now proposed to Barnabas, his fellow-labourer, that they might\nvisit their brethren in the places where they had been already, and\nsee how they did. To this Barnabas readily acceded, but a difference\narising between them about taking _John Mark_ with them, who had\ndeserted them before, these two eminent servants of God were parted\nasunder, and never appear to have travelled together any more. They\ncontinued however each to serve in the cause of Christ, though they\ncould not walk together. Barnabas took John, and sailed to Cyprus, his\nnative island, and Paul took Silas, and went through Syria and Cilicia\nto Derbe and Lystra, cities where he and Barnabas had preached in\ntheir first excursion.\n\nHere they found Timothy, a promising young man, whom they encouraged\nto engage in the ministry.\n\nPaul being now at Lystra, which was the boundary of his first\nexcursion, and having visited the churches already planted, and\ndelivered to them the decrees of the apostles and elders relating to\ncircumcision, seems to have felt his heart enlarged, and assayed to\ncarry on the glorious work of preaching the gospel to the heathen to a\ngreater extent. With Silas and Timotheus he in his second journey[2]\ntook a western direction, passing through Phrygia, and the region of\nGalatia. Having preached the word in these parts with considerable\nsuccess,[3] he and his companions wished to have gone into the\nproconsular Asia, and afterwards assayed to go into Bythinia; but\nbegin forbidden of the Holy Ghost, who seems to have had a special\ndesign of employing them elsewhere; passing by Mysia they came down to\nTroas on the sea-coast. Here a vision appeared to Paul, in which he\nwas invited to go over to Macedonia. Obedient to the heavenly vision,\nand greatly encouraged by it, they with all speed crossed the Egean\nSea, and passing through the island of Samothracia, landed at\nNeapolis, and went from thence to Philippi, the chief city of that\npart of Macedonia. It was here that Paul preached on a Sabbath day to\na few women by a river side, and Lydia, a woman of Thyatira, was\nconverted and baptized, and her household with her. It was here that a\npoor girl, who brought her employers considerable profit by\nforetelling events, followed the apostles, had her spirit of\ndivination ejected, on which account her masters were much irritated,\nand raised a tumult, the effect of which was, that Paul and Silas were\nimprisoned. But even this was over-ruled for the success of the\ngospel, in that the keeper of the prison, and all his house, were\nthereby brought to believe in the Lord Jesus Christ, and were\nbaptized.\n\n[Footnote 2: The account of this second journey into the heathen world\nbegins at Acts xv. 40. and ends chap. xviii. 22.]\n\n[Footnote 3: See ch. xviii. 23. and Gal i. 2.]\n\nFrom Philippi they passed thorough Amphipolis, Apollonia,\nThessalonica, (now Salonichi,) Berea, Athens, and Corinth, preaching\nthe gospel wherever they went. From hence Paul took ship and sailed to\nSyria, only giving a short call at Ephesus, determining to be at\nJerusalem at the feast of the passover; and having saluted the church,\nhe came to Cesarea, and from thence to Antioch.\n\nHere ended Paul's second journey, which was very extensive, and took\nup some years of his time. He and his companions met with their\ndifficulties in it, but had likewise their encouragements. They were\npersecuted at Philippi, as already noticed, and generally found the\nJews to be their most inveterate enemies. These would raise tumults,\ninflame the minds of the gentiles against them, and follow them from\nplace to place, doing them all the mischief in their power. This was\nthe case especially at Thessalonica, Berea, and Corinth. But amidst\nall their persecutions God was with them, and strengthened them in\nvarious ways. At Berea they were candidly received, and their doctrine\nfairly tried by the Holy Scriptures; and _therefore_, it is said,\n_many of them believed_. At other places, though they affected to\ndespise the apostle, yet some clave unto him. At _Corinth_ opposition\nrose to a great height; but the Lord appeared to his servant in a\nvision, saying, _Be not afraid, but speak, and hold not thy peace, for\nI am with thee, and no man shall set on thee to hurt thee; for I have\nmuch people in this city_. And the promise was abundantly made good in\nthe spirit discovered by Gallio, the proconsul, who turned a deaf ear\nto the accusations of the jews, and nobly declined interfering in\nmatters beside his province. Upon the whole a number of churches were\nplanted during this journey, which for ages after shone as lights in\nthe world.\n\nWhen Paul had visited Antioch, and spent some time there, he prepared\nfor a third journey into heathen countries, the account of which\nbegins Acts xviii. 23. and ends chap. xxi. 17. At his first setting\nout he went over the whole country of Galatia and Phrygia in order,\nstrengthening all the disciples; and passing through the upper coasts\ncame to Ephesus. There for the space of three months, he boldly\npreached in the jewish synagogue, disputing, and persuading the things\nconcerning the kingdom of God. But when the hardened jews had openly\nrejected the gospel, and spake evil of that way before the multitude,\nPaul openly separated the disciples from them, and assembled in the\nschool of one Tyrannus. This, it is said, continued for the space of\ntwo years, _so that all they who dwelt in_ the proconsular _Asia heard\nthe word of the Lord Jesus, both jews and greeks_. Certain magicians,\nabout this time were exposed, and others converted, who burnt their\nbooks, and confessed their deeds. So mightily grew the word of the\nLord, and prevailed.\n\nAfter this an uproar being raised by Demetrius, the silversmith, Paul\nwent into Macedonia, visited the churches planted in his former\njourney, and from thence passed into Greece. Having preached up and\ndown for three months, he thought of sailing from thence directly to\nSyria; but in order to avoid the jews, who laid wait for him near the\nsea coast, he took another course through Macedonia, and from thence\nto Troas, by the way of Philippi. There is no mention made in his\nformer journey of his having preached at Troas; yet it seems he did,\nand a church was gathered, with whom the apostle at this time united\nin _breaking of bread_. It was here that he preached all night, and\nraised Eutychus, who being overcome with sleep, had fallen down, and\nwas taken up dead. From hence they set sail for Syria, and in their\nway called at Miletus, where Paul sent for the elders of the church of\nEphesus, and delivered that most solemn and affectionate farewell,\nrecorded in the 20th chapter of the Acts of the Apostles. From hence\nthey sailed for Tyre, where they tarried seven days, and from thence\nproceeded to Jerusalem.\n\nPaul's fourth and last journey (or rather voyage) was to Rome, where\nhe went in the character of a prisoner. For being at Jerusalem he was\nquickly apprehended by the jews; but being rescued by Lysias, the\nchief captain, he was sent to Cesarea to take his trial. Here he made\nhis defence before Felix and Drusilla, in such sort that the judge,\ninstead of the prisoner, was made to tremble.  Here also he made his\ndefence before Festus, Agrippa, and Bernice, with such force of\nevidence that Agrippa was almost persuaded to be a Christian. But the\nmalice of the jews being insatiable, and Paul finding himself in\ndanger of being delivered into their hands, was constrained to appeal\nunto Caesar. This was the occasion of his being sent to Rome, where he\narrived after a long and dangerous voyage, and being shipwrecked on\nthe island of Melita, where he wrought miracles, and Publius, the\ngovernor, was converted.\n\nWhen he arrived at Rome he addressed his countrymen the jews, some of\nwhom believed; but when others rejected the gospel, he turned from\nthem to the gentiles, and for two whole years dwelt in his own hired\nhouse preaching the kingdom of God, and teaching those things which\nconcern the Lord Jesus Christ, with all confidence, no man forbidding\nhim.\n\nThus far the history of the Acts of the Apostles informs us of the\nsuccess of the word in the primitive times; and history informs us of\nits being preached about this time, in many other places. Peter speaks\nof a church at Babylon; Paul proposed a journey to Spain, and it is\ngenerally believed he went there, and likewise came to France and\nBritain. Andrew preached to the Scythians, north of the Black Sea.\nJohn is said to have preached in India, and we know that he was at the\nIsle of Patmos, in the Archipelago. Philip is reported to have\npreached in upper Asia, Scythia, and Phrygia; Bartholomew in India, on\nthis side the Ganges, Phrygia, and Armenia; Matthew in Arabia, or\nAsiatic Ethiopia, and Parthia; Thomas in India, as far as the coast of\nCoromandel, and some say in the island of Ceylon; Simon, the\nCanaanite, in Egypt, Cyrene, Mauritania, Lybia, and other parts of\nAfrica, and from thence to have come to Britain; and Jude is said to\nhave been principally engaged in the lesser Asia, and Greece. Their\nlabours were evidently very extensive, and very successful; so that\nPliny, the younger, who lived soon after the death of the apostles, in\na letter to the emperor, Trajan, observed that Christianity had\nspread, not only through towns and cities, but also through whole\ncountries. Indeed before this, in the time of Nero, it was so\nprevalent that it was thought necessary to oppose it by an Imperial\nEdict, and accordingly the proconsuls, and other governors, were\ncommissioned to destroy it.\n\nJustin Martyr, who lived about the middle of the second century, in\nhis dialogue with Trypho, observed that there was no part of mankind,\nwhether greeks or barbarians, or any others, by what name soever they\nwere called, whether the Sarmatians, or the Nomades, who had no\nhouses, or the Scenites of Arabia Petrea, who lived in tents among\ntheir cattle, where supplications and thanksgivings are not offered up\nto the Father, and maker of all things, through the name of Jesus\nChrist. Irenaeus, who lived about the year 170, speaks of churches\nthat were founded in Germany, Spain, France, the eastern countries,\nEgypt, Lybia, and the middle of the world. Tertullian, who lived and\nwrote at Carthage in Africa, about twenty years afterwards,\nenumerating the countries where Christianity had penetrated, makes\nmention of the Parthians, Medes, Elamites, Mesopotamians, Armenians,\nPhrygians, Cappadocians, the inhabitants of Pontus, Asia, Pamphylia,\nEgypt, and the regions of Africa beyond Cyrene, the Romans, and Jews,\nformerly of Jerusalem, many of the Getuli, many borders of the Mauri,\nor Moors, in Mauritania; now Barbary, Morocco, &c. all the borders of\nSpain, many nations of the Gauls, and the places in Britain which were\ninaccessible to the Romans; the Dacians, Sarmatians, Germans,\nScythians, and the inhabitants of many hidden nations and provinces,\nand of many islands unknown to him, and which he could not enumerate.\nThe labours of the ministers of the gospel, in this early period, were\nso remarkably blessed of God, that the last mentioned writer observed,\nin a letter to Scapula, that if he began a persecution the city of\nCarthage itself must be decimated thereby. Yea, and so abundant were\nthey in the three first centuries, that ten years constant and almost\nuniversal persecution under Dioclesian, could neither root out the\nChristians, nor prejudice their cause.\n\nAfter this they had great encouragement under several emperors,\nparticularly Constantine and Theodosius, and a very great work of God\nwas carried on; but the ease and affluence which in these times\nattended the church, served to introduce a flood of corruption, which\nby degrees brought on the whole system of popery, by means of which\nall appeared to be lost again; and Satan set up his kingdom of\ndarkness, deceit, and human authority over conscience, through all the\nChristian world.\n\nIn the time of Constantine, one Frumentius was sent to preach to the\nIndians, and met with great success. A young woman who was a\nChristian, being taken captive by the Iberians, or Georgians, near the\nCaspian Sea, informed them of the truths of Christianity, and was so\nmuch regarded that they sent to Constantine for ministers to come and\npreach the word to them. About the same time some barbarous nations\nhaving made irruptions into Thrace, carried away several Christians\ncaptive, who preached the gospel; by which means the inhabitants upon\nthe Rhine, and the Danube, the Celtae, and some other parts of Gaul,\nwere brought to embrace Christianity. About this time also James of\nNisbia, went into Persia to strengthen the Christians, and preach to\nthe heathens; and his success was so great that Adiabene was almost\nentirely Christian. About the year 372, one Moses, a Monk, went to\npreach to the Saracens, who then lived in Arabia, where he had great\nsuccess; and at this time the Goths, and other northern nations, had\nthe kingdom of Christ further extended amongst them, but which was\nvery soon corrupted with Arianism.\n\nSoon after this the kingdom of Christ was further extended among the\nScythian Nomades, beyond the Danube, and about the year 430, a people\ncalled the Burgundians, received the gospel. Four years after, that\nPalladius was sent to preach in Scotland, and the next year Patrick\nwas sent from Scotland to preach to the Irish who before his time were\ntotally uncivilized, and, some say, cannibals; he however, was useful,\nand laid the foundations of several churches in Ireland. Presently\nafter this, truth spread further among the Saracens, and in 522,\nZathus, king of the Colchians encouraged it, and many of that nation\nwere converted to Christianity. About this time also the work was\nextended in Ireland, by Finian, and in Scotland by Constantine and\nColumba; the latter of whom preached also to the Picts, and Brudaeus,\ntheir king, with several others, were converted. About 541, Adad, the\nking of Ethiopia, was converted by the preaching of Mansionarius; the\nHeruli beyond the Danube, were now made obedient to the faith, and the\nAbasgi, near the Caucasian Mountains.\n\nBut now popery, especially the compulsive part of it, was risen to\nsuch an height, that the usual method of propagating the gospel, or\nrather what was so called, was to conquer pagan nations by force of\narms, and then oblige them to submit to Christianity, after which\nbishopricks were erected, and persons then sent to instruct the\npeople. I shall just mention some of those who are said to have\nlaboured thus.\n\nIn 596, Austin, the monk, Melitus, Justus, Paulinus, and Russinian,\nlaboured in England, and in their way were very successful. Paulinus,\nwho appears to have been one of the best of them, had great success in\nNorthumberland; Birinnius preached to the West Saxons, and Felix to\nthe East Angles. In 589, Amandus Gallus laboured in Ghent, Chelenus in\nArtois, and Gallus and Columbanus in Suabia. In 648, Egidius Gallus in\nFlanders, and the two Evaldi, in Westphalia. In 684, Willifred, in the\nIsle of Wight. In 688, Chilianus, in upper Franconia. In 698,\nBoniface, or Winifred, among the Thuringians, near Erford, in Saxony,\nand Willibroad in West-Friesland. Charlemagne conquered Hungary in the\nyear 800, and obliged the inhabitants to profess Christianity, when\nModestus likewise preached to the Venedi, at the source of the Save\nand Drave. In 833, Ansgarius preached in Denmark, Gaudibert in Sweden,\nand about 861, Methodius and Cyril, in Bohemia.\n\nAbout the year 500, the Scythians over-run Bulgaria, and Christianity\nwas extirpated; but about 870 they were re-converted. Poland began to\nbe brought over about the same time, and afterwards, about 960 or 990,\nthe work was further extended amongst the Poles and Prussians. The\nwork was begun in Norway in 960, and in Muscovy in 989, the Swedes\npropagated Christianity in Finland, in 1168, Lithuania became\nChristian in 1386, and Samogitia in 1439. The Spaniards forced popery\nupon the inhabitants of South-America, and the Portuguese in Asia.\nThe Jesuits were sent into China in 1552. Xavier, whom they call the\napostle of the Indians, laboured in the East-Indies and Japan, from\n1541 to 1552, and several millions of Capauchins were sent to Africa\nin the seventeenth century. But blind zeal, gross superstition, and\ninfamous cruelties, so marked the appearances of religion all this\ntime, that the professors of Christianity needed conversion, as much\nas the heathen world.\n\nA few pious people had fled from the general corruption, and lived\nobscurely in the vallies of Piedmont and Savoy, who were like the seed\nof the church. Some of them were now and then necessitated to travel\ninto other parts, where they faithfully testified against the\ncorruptions of the times. About 1369 Wickliffe began to preach the\nfaith in England, and his preaching and writings were the means of the\nconversion of great numbers, many of whom became excellent preachers;\nand a work was begun which afterwards spread in England, Hungary,\nBohemia, Germany, Switzerland, and many other places. John Huss and\nJerom of Prague, preached boldly and successfully in Bohemia, and the\nadjacent parts. In the following century Luther, Calvin, Melancton,\nBucer, Martyr, and many others, stood up against all the rest of the\nworld; they preached, and prayed, and wrote; and nations agreed one\nafter another to cast off the yoke of popery, and to embrace the\ndoctrine of the gospel.\n\nIn England, episcopal tyranny succeeded to popish cruelty, which, in\nthe year 1620, obliged many pious people to leave their native land\nand settle in America; these were followed by others in 1629, who laid\nthe foundations of several gospel churches, which have increased\namazingly since that time, and the Redeemer has fixed his throne in\nthat country, where but a little time ago, Satan had universal\ndominion.\n\nIn 1632, Mr. Elliot, of New-England, a very pious and zealous\nminister, began to preach to the Indians, among whom he had great\nsuccess; several churches of Indians were planted, and some preachers\nand school-masters raised up amongst them; since which time others\nhave laboured amongst them with some good encouragement. About the\nyear 1743, Mr. David Brainerd was sent a missionary to some more\nIndians, where he preached, and prayed, and after some time an\nextraordinary work of conversion was wrought, and wonderful success\nattended his ministry. And at this present time, Mr. Kirkland and Mr.\nSergeant are employed in the same good work, and God has considerably\nblessed their labours.\n\nIn 1706, the king of Denmark sent a Mr. Ziegenbalg, and some others,\nto Tranquebar, on the Coromandel coast in the East-Indies, who were\nuseful to the natives, so that many of the heathens were turned to the\nLord. The Dutch East-India Company likewise having extended their\ncommerce, built the city of Batavia, and a church was opened there;\nand the Lord's Supper was administered for the first time, on the 3d\nof January, 1621, by their minister James Hulzibos, from hence some\nministers were sent to Amboyna, who were very successful. A seminary\nof learning was erected at Leyden, in which ministers and assistants\nwere educated, under the renowned _Walaeus_, and some years a great\nnumber were sent to the East, at the Company's expence, so that in a\nlittle time many thousands at Formosa, Malabar, Ternate,\nJaffanapatnam, in the town of Columba, at Amboyna, Java, Banda,\nMacassar, and Malabar, embraced the religion of our Lord Jesus Christ.\nThe work has decayed in some places, but they now have churches in\nCeylon, Sumatra, Java, Amboyna, and some other of the spice islands,\nand at the Cape of Good Hope, in Africa.\n\nBut none of the moderns have equalled the Moravian Brethren in this\ngood work; they have sent missions to Greenland, Labrador, and several\nof the West-Indian Islands, which have been blessed for good. They\nhave likewise sent to Abyssinia, in Africa, but what success they have\nhad I cannot tell.\n\nThe late Mr. Wesley lately made an effort in the West-Indies, and some\nof their ministers are now labouring amongst the Caribbs and Negroes,\nand I have seen pleasing accounts of their success.\n\n\n\n\n                              SECT. III.\n\n\n       _Containing a Survey of the present State of the World._\n\n\nIn this survey I shall consider the world as divided, according to its\nusual division, into four parts, _EUROPE, ASIA, AFRICA_, and\n_AMERICA_, and take notice of the extent of the several countries,\ntheir population, civilization, and religion. The article of religion\nI shall divide into Christian, Jewish, Mahometan, and Pagan; and shall\nnow and then hint at the particular sect of them that prevails in the\nplaces which I shall describe. The following Tables will exhibit a\nmore comprehensive view of what I propose, than any thing I can offer\non the subject.\n\n\n                             _EUROPE._\n\n                         EXTENT.\nCountries.           Length Breadth  Number of         Religion.\n                     Miles.  Miles. Inhabitants.\n\nGreat-Britain          680    300   12,000,000   Protestants, of many\n                                                   denominations.\nIreland                285    160    2,000,000   Protestants and\n                                                   Papists.\nFrance                 600    500   24,000,000   Catholics, Deists,\n                                                   and Protestants.\nSpain                  700    500    9,500,000   Papists.\nSWEDEN including       800    500    3,500,000   The Swedes are serious\n  Sweden proper,                                   Lutherans, but most\n  Gothland, Shonen,                                of the Laplanders\n  Lapland, Bothnia,                                are Pagans, and very\n  and Finland                                      superstitious.\nIsle of Gothland        80     23        5,000\n---- Oesel              45     24        2,500\n---- Oeland             84      9        1,000\n---- Dago               26     23        1,000\n---- Aland              24     20          800\n---- Hogland             9      5          100\nDenmark                240    114      360,000   Lutherans of the\n                                                   Helvetic Confession.\nIsle of Zeeland         60     60      284,000   Ditto.\n---- Funen              38     32      144,000   Ditto.\n---- Arroe               8      2          200   Ditto.\n---- Iceland           435    185       60,000   Ditto.\n---- Langeland          27     12        3,000   Ditto.\n---- Laland             38     30      148,000   Ditto.\n---- Falster            27     12        3,000   Ditto.\n---- Mona               14      5          600   Ditto.\n---- Alsen              15      6          600   Ditto.\n---- Femeren            13      8        1,000   Ditto.\nIsle of Bornholm        20     12        2,000   Lutherans.\nGreenland             Undiscovered       7,000   Pagans, and Moravian\n                                                   Christians.\nNorway                 750    170      724,000   Lutherans.\n24 Faro Isles                            4,500   Ditto.\nDanish Lapland         285    172      100,000   Ditto, and Pagans.\nPoland                 700    680    9,000,000   Papists, Lutherans,\n                                                   Calvinists, & Jews.\nPrussia[4]             400    160    2,500,000   Calvinists, Catholics,\n                                                   & Lutherans.\nSardinia               135     57      600,000   Papists.\nSicily                 180     92    1,000,000   Ditto.\nItaly                  660    120   20,000,000   Ditto.\nUnited Netherlands     150    150    2,000,000   Protestants of several\n                                                   denominations.\nAustrian Netherlands   200    200    2,500,000   Papists and Protestants.\nSwitzerland            200    100    2,880,000   Papists and Protestants.\nThe Grisons            100     62      800,000   Lutherans and Papists.\nThe Abbacy of St. Gall  24     10       50,000   Ditto.\nNeufchatel              32     20      100,000   Calvinists.\nValais                  80     30      440,000   Papists.\nPiedmont               140     98      900,000   Ditto, and Protestants.\nSavoy                   87     60      720,000   Ditto.\nGeneva, City                            24,000   Calvinists.\nBohemia                478    322    2,100,000   Papists and Moravians.\nHungary                300    200    2,500,000   Papists.\nGermany                600    500   20,000,000   Ditto, and Protestants.\nRussia in Europe      1500   1100   22,000,000   Greek Church.\nTurkey in Europe      1000    900   18,000,000   Greek Christians, Jews,\n                                                   & Mahometans.\nBudziac Tartary        300     60    1,200,000   Greek Christians, Jews,\n                                                   & Mahometans\nLesser Tartary         390     65    1,000,000   Ditto.\nCrim Tartary           145     80      500,000   Ditto.\nIsle of Tenedos          5      3          200   Mahometans.\n---- Negropont          90     25       25,000   Ditto.\n---- Lemnos             25     25        4,000   Ditto.\n---- Paros            36 in compass.     4,500   Greek Christians.\n---- Lesbos,\n  or Miylene         160 in compass.    30,000   Mahometans and Greeks.\n---- Naxia           100 in compass.     8,000   Greeks and Papists.\n---- Scio, or Chios  112 in compass.             Greek Christians,\n                                                   Papists, & Mahomet.\n---- Nio              40 in compass.     1,000   Ditto.\n---- Scyros           60 in compass.     1,000   Ditto.\n---- Mycone           36 in compass.     3,000   Ditto.\n---- Samos              30     15       12,000   Mahometans.\n---- Nicaria          70 in compass.     3,000   Greek Christians\n---- Andros          120 in compass.     4,000   Ditto.\n---- Cyclades,                             700   Ditto.\n  Delos the Chief.\n---- Zia              40 in compass.     8,000   Ditto.\n---- Cerigo or        50 in compass.     1,000   Ditto.\n  Cytheraea\n---- Santorin         36 in compass.    10,000   Ditto, and Papists.\n---- Policandra        8 in compass.       400   Ditto.\n---- Patmos           18 in compass.       600   Ditto.\n---- Sephanto         36 in compass.     5,000   Greeks.\n---- Claros           40 in compass.     1,700   Mahometans.\n---- Amorgo           36 in compass.     4,000   Greek Christians.\n---- Leros            18 in compass.       800   Christians and\n                                                   Mahometans.\n---- Therima          40 in compass.     6,000   Greek Christians.\n---- Stampalia        50 in compass.   3,000     Ditto.\n---- Salamis          50 in compass.   1,000     Ditto.\n---- Scarpanta        20 in compass.   2,000     Ditto.\n---- Cephalonia      130 in compass.  50,000     Ditto.\n---- Zant             50 in compass.  30,000     Greek Christians.\n---- Milo             60 in compass.  40,000     Ditto.\n---- Corfu           120 in compass.  60,000     Ditto.\n---- Candia, or Crete  200     60    400,000     Ditto, and Mahometans.\n---- Coos,            70 in compass.  12,800     Mahometans and\n  or Stanchia                                      Christians.\n---- Rhodes             60     25    120,000     Ditto.\n---- Cyprus            150     70    300,000     Mahometans.\n\n[Footnote 4: The rest of Prussian dominions being scattered about\nin several countries, are counted to those countries where they lie.]\n\n\n                               _ASIA._\n\n                         EXTENT.\nCountries.           Length Breadth  Number of         Religion.\n                     Miles.  Miles. Inhabitants.\n\nTURKEY IN ASIA        1000    800   20,000,000   Mahometanism is most\n  contains Anatolia,                               prevalent, but there\n  Syria, Palestine,                                are many Greek, Latin,\n  Diabekr, Tutcomania                              Eutychian, and\n  and Georgia                                      Armenian Christians.\nArabia                1300   1200    16,000,000  Mahometans.\nPersia                1280   1140    20,000,000  Ditto, of the Sect\n                                                   of Ali.\nGreat Tartary         4000   1200    40,000,000  Mahometans and Pagans.\nSiberia               2800    960     7,500,000  Greek Christians\n                                                   and Pagans.\nSamojedia             2000    370     1,900,000  Pagans.\nKamtschatcha           540    236       900,000  Ditto.\nNova Zembla          Undiscovered.thinly inhabit.Ditto.\nChina                 1400   1260    60,000,000  Ditto.\nJAPAN contains         900    360    10,000,000  Ditto.\n  Niphon Isl.\nIsle of Ximo           210    200     3,000,000  Pagans.\n---- Xicoco            117    104     1,800,000  Ditto.\n---- Tsussima           39     34        40,000  Ditto.\n---- Iki                20     17         6,000  Ditto.\n---- Kubitessima        30     26         8,000  Ditto.\n---- Matounsa           54     26        50,000  Ditto.\n---- Fastistia          36     34        30,000  Ditto.\n---- Firando            30     28        10,000  Ditto.\n---- Amacusa            27     24         6,000  Ditto.\n---- Awasi              30     18         5,000  Ditto.\nIndia                 2000   1000    50,000,000  Mahometans and Pagans.\n  beyond the Ganges\nIndostan              2000   1500   110,000,000  Ditto.\nTibet                 1200    480    10,000,000  Pagans.\nIsle of Ceylon         250    200     2,000,000  Pagans, except the\n                                                   Dutch Christians.\n---- Maldives       1000 in number.     100,000  Mahometans.\n---- Sumatra          1000    100     2,100,000  Ditto, and Pagans.\n---- Java              580    100     2,700,000  Ditto.\n---- Timor            2400     54       300,000  Ditto, and a\n                                                   few Christians.\n---- Borneo            800    700     8,000,000  Ditto.\n---- Celebes           510    240     2,000,000  Ditto.\n---- Boutam             75     30        80,000  Mahometans.\n---- Carpentyn          30      3         2,000  Christian Protestants.\n---- Ourature           18      6         3,000  Pagans.\n---- Pullo Lout         60     36        10,000  Ditto.\n\nBesides the little Islands of Manaar, Aripen, Caradivia, Pengandiva,\nAnalativa, Nainandiva, and Nindundiva, which are inhabited by\nChristian Protestants.\n\nAnd Banca, Madura, Bally, Lambeck, Flores, Solor, Leolana, Panterra,\nMiscomby, and several others, inhabited by Pagans and Mahometans.\n\nThe MOLUCCAS are,\n---- Banda              20     10         6,000  Pagans and Mahometans.\n---- Buro               25     10         7,000  Ditto.\n---- Amboyna            25     10         7,500  Christians;--the Dutch\n                                                   have 25 Ch.\n---- Ceram             210     45       250,000  Pagans and Mahometans.\n---- Gillola           190    110       650,000  Ditto.\n\nAnd Pully-way, Pullo-rin, Nera, Guamanapi, Guilliaien, Ternate, Motir,\nMachian, and Bachian, which are inhabited by Pagans and Mahometans.\n\nThe PHILIPPINE ISLANDS are supposed to be about 11,000;--some of the\nchief are,\n\nIsle of Mindanao        60     40        18,000  Pagans and Mahometans.\n---- Bahol              24     12         6,000  Ditto.\n---- Layta              48     27        10,000  Ditto.\n---- Parragon          240     60       100,000  Ditto.\nThe CALAMINES are Sebu  60     24        10,000  Papists.\n---- Mindora            60     36        12,000  Pagans and Mahometans.\n---- Philippina        185    120       104,000  Ditto.\n---- Negroes Isle      150     60        80,000  Papists.\n---- Manilla                             31,000  Ditto, and Pagans.\n\nThe Ladrone Islands are inhabited by most uncivilized Pagans.\n\nNew Holland           2500   2000    12,000,000  Pagans;--1 or 2\n                                                   Ministers are there.\nNew Zealand[5]         960    180     1,120,000  Ditto.\nNew Guinea            1000    360     1,900,000  Ditto.\nNew Britain            180    120       900,000  Ditto.\nNew Ireland            180     60       700,000  Ditto.\nOnrong Java       A Cluster of Isles.            Ditto.\nNew Caledonia          260     30       170,000  Ditto.\nNew Hebrides                                     Ditto.\nFriendly Isles        20 in number.              Ditto.\nSandwich Isles         7 in number.     400,000  Ditto.\nSociety Isles          6 in number.     800,000  Ditto.\nKurile Isles          45 in number.      50,000  Ditto.\nPelew Isles                                      Pagans.\nOonalashka Isle         40     20         3,000  Ditto.\nThe other South-Sea Islands.                     Ditto.\n\n[Footnote 5: Two Islands.]\n\n\n                             _AFRICA._\n\n                         EXTENT.\nCountries.           Length Breadth  Number of         Religion.\n                     Miles.  Miles. Inhabitants.\n\nEgypt                  600    250    2,200,000   Mahometans and Jews.\nNubia                  940    600    3,000,000   Ditto.\nBarbary               1800    500    3,500,000   Mahometans, Jews,\n                                                   and Christians.\nBiledulgerid          2500    350    3,500,000   Mahometans, Christians,\n                                                   and Jews.\nZaara, or the Desart  3400    660      800,000   Ditto.\nAbyssinia              900    800    5,800,000   Armenian Christians.\nAbex                   540    130    1,600,000   Christians and Pagans.\nNegroland             2200    840   18,000,000   Pagans.\nLoango                 410    300    1,500,000   Ditto.\nCongo                  540    220    2,000,000   Ditto.\nAngola                 360    250    1,400,000   Ditto.\nBenguela               430    180    1,600,000   Ditto.\nMataman                450    240    1,500,000   Ditto.\nAjan                   900    300    2,500,000   Ditto.\nZanguebar             1400    350    3,000,000   Ditto.\nMonoemugi              900    660    2,000,000   Ditto.\nSofala                 480    300    1,000,000   Pagans.\nTerra de Natal         600    350    2,000,000   Ditto.\nCaffraria, or the      708    660    2,000,000   Ditto, and a few\n  Hottentots Country                               Christians at the Cape.\nIsle of Madagascar    1000    220    2,000,000   Pagans and Mahometans.\n---- St. Mary           54      9        5,000   French Papists.\n---- Mascarin           39     30       17,000   Ditto.\n---- St. Helena       21 in compass.     1,000   English and French\n                                                   Christians.\n---- Annabon            16     14        4,000   Portuguese Papists.\n---- St. Thomas         25     23        9,000   Pagans.\n---- Zocotora           80     54       10,000   Mahometans.\n---- Comora Isles      5 in number.      5,000   Ditto.\n---- Mauritius       150 in compass.    10,000   French Papists.\n---- Bourbon          90 in compass.    15,000   French Papists.\n---- Madeiras          3 in number.     10,000   Papists.\n---- Cape Verd Isles  10 in number.     20,000   Ditto.\n---- Canaries         12 in number.     30,000   Ditto.\n---- Azores            9 in number.    100,000   Ditto.\n---- Maltha             15      8        1,200   Ditto.\n\n\n                            _AMERICA._\n\n                         EXTENT.\nCountries.           Length Breadth  Number of         Religion.\n                     Miles.  Miles. Inhabitants.\n\nBrazil                2900    900   14,000,000   Pagans and Papists.\nParaguay              1140    460   10,000,000   Pagans.\nChili                 1200    500    2,000,000   Pagans and Papists.\nPeru                  1800    600   10,000,000   Pagans and Papists.\nCountry of the        1200    900    8,000,000   Pagans.\n  Amazons.\nTerra Firma           1400    700   10,000,000   Pagans and Papists.\nGuiana                 780    480    2,000,000   Ditto.\nTerra Magellanica     1400    460    9,000,000   Pagans.\nOld Mexico            2220    600   13,500,000   Ditto, and Papists.\nNew Mexico            2000   1000   14,000,000   Ditto.\nThe States of America 1000    600    3,700,000   Christians, of various\n                                                   denominations\nTerra de Labrador,    1680    600    8,000,000   Christians, of various\n  Nova-Scotia,                                     denominations, but\n  Louisiana, Canada,                               most of the North\n  and all the country                              American Indians are\n  inland from Mexico                               Pagans.\n  to Hudson's-Bay\nCalifornia, and from  2820   1380    9,000,000   Pagans.\n  thence along the\n  degrees south\n  latitude, and so\n  far inland as to\n  meet the above\n  article\nAll to the north of     unknown.                 Pagans.\n  70 degrees\nCape Breton            400    110       20,000   Christians.\n---- Newfoundland      350    200        1,400   Protestants.\n---- Cumberland's Isle 780    300       10,000   Pagans.\n---- Madre de Dios     105     30        8,000   Ditto.\n---- Terra del Fuego   120     36        5,000   Ditto.\n\nAll the Islands in the Vicinity of Cape Horn     Pagans.\n\nThe Bermudas extend     16      5       20,000   Half English, and\n                                                   Half Slaves.\nThe LITTLE ANTILLES\n  are Aruba              5      3          200   Dutch, and Pagan Negroes.\n---- Curassoa           30     10       11,000   Ditto.\n---- Bonaire            10      3          300   Ditto.\n---- Margaritta         40     24       18,000   Spaniards, and Pagan\n                                                   Negoes.\n---- St Trinidad        90     60      100,000   Ditto.\nThe BAHAMAS are\n---- Bahama             50     16       16,000   Pagans.\n---- Providence         28     11        6,000   Ditto.\n\nBesides Eluthera, Harbour, Lucayonegua, Andross, Cigateo, Guanaliana,\nYumeta, Samana, Yuma, Mayaguana, Ynagua, Caieos, and Triangula--\nPagans.\n\nThe ANTILLES are\n---- Cuba               700    60    1,000,000   Papists.\n---- Jamaica            140    60      400,000   English, and Pagan\n                                                   Negroes.\n---- St. Domingo        450   150    1,000,000   French, Spaniards, and\n                                                   Negroes.\n---- Porto Rico         100    49      300,000   Spaniards and Negroes.\n---- Vache, or Cows I.   18     2        1,000   Ditto.\n\nThe VIRGIN ISLES are 12 in number, of which Danes Island is the\nprincipal--Protestants.\n\nThe CARRIRBEES are\n---- St. Cruz            30    10       13,500   Danish Protestants.\n---- Anguilla            30     9        6,000   Protestants, and Negroes.\n---- St. Martin          21    12        7,500   Ditto.\n---- St. Bartholomew      6     4          720   Ditto.\n---- Barbuda             20    12        7,500   Ditto.\n---- Saba                 5     4        1,500   Ditto.\n---- Guardulope          45    38       50,000   Catholics, and Pagan\n                                                   Negroes.\n---- Marigalante         15    12        5,400   Ditto.\n---- Tobago              32     9        3,400   Ditto.\n---- Defiada             12     6        1,500   Ditto.\n---- Granada             30    15       13,500   English, and Pagan\n                                                   Negroes.\n---- St. Lucia           23    12        5,000   Ditto, and Native Pagan\n                                                   Caribbs.\n                                   Whites. Negroes.\n---- St. Eustatia         6     4   5,000  15,000  Dutch, English, &c.\n---- St.Christopher      20     7   6,000  36,000  English.\n---- Nevis                6     4   5,000  10,000  Ditto.\n---- Antigua             20     4   7,000  30,000  Ditto.\n---- Montserrat           6     4   5,000  10,000  Ditto.\n---- Martinico            6     4  20,000  50,000  French.\n---- St. Vincent's       60     4   8,000   5,000  The 8,000 are\n                                                     Native Caribbs.\n---- Barbadoes           24     4  30,000 100,000  English.\n---- Dominica            28     4          40,000  Ditto, 2,000 of them\n                                                     Native Caribbs.\n---- St. Thomas        15 in compass.       8,000  Danish Protestants.\n\n\nThis, as nearly as I can obtain information, is the state of the\nworld; though in many countries, as Turkey, Arabia, Great Tartary,\nAfrica, and America, except the United States, and most of the Asiatic\nIslands, we have no accounts of the number of inhabitants, that can be\nrelied on. I have therefore only calculated the extent, and counted a\ncertain number on an average upon a square mile; in some countries\nmore, and in others less, according as circumstances determine. A few\ngeneral remarks upon it will conclude this section.\n\nFIRST, the inhabitants of the world according to this calculation,\namount to about seven hundred and thirty-one millions; four hundred\nand twenty millions of whom are still in pagan darkness; an hundred\nand thirty millions the followers of Mahomet; an hundred millions\ncatholics; forty-four millions protestants; thirty millions of the\ngreek and armenian churches, and perhaps seven millions of jews. It\nmust undoubtedly strike every considerate mind, what a vast proportion\nof the sons of Adam there are, who yet remain in the most deplorable\nstate of heathen darkness, without any means of knowing the true God,\nexcept what are afforded them by the works of nature; and utterly\ndestitute of the knowledge of the gospel of Christ, or of any means of\nobtaining it. In many of these countries they have no written\nlanguage, consequently no Bible, and are only led by the most childish\ncustoms and traditions. Such, for instance, are all the middle and\nback parts of North America,  the inland parts of South America, the\nSouth-Sea Islands, New Holland, New Zealand, New Guinea; and I may add\nGreat Tartary, Siberia, Samojedia, and the other parts of Asia\ncontiguous to the frozen sea; the greatest part of Africa, the island\nof Madagascar, and many places beside. In many of these parts also\nthey are cannibals, feeding upon the flesh of their slain enemies,\nwith the greatest brutality and eagerness. The truth of this was\nascertained, beyond a doubt, by the late eminent navigator, Cooke, of\nthe New Zealanders, and some of the inhabitants of the western coast\nof America. Human sacrifices are also very frequently offered, so that\nscarce a week elapses without instances of this kind. They are in\ngeneral poor, barbarous, naked pagans, as destitute of civilization,\nas they are of true religion.\n\nSECONDLY, barbarous as these poor heathens are, they appear to be as\ncapable of knowledge as we are; and in many places, at least, have\ndiscovered uncommon genius and tractableness; and I greatly question\nwhether most of the barbarities practiced by them, have not originated\nin some real or supposed affront, and are therefore, more properly,\nacts of self-defence, than proofs of inhuman and blood-thirsty\ndispositions.\n\nTHIRDLY, in other parts, where they have a written language, as in the\nEast-Indies, China, Japan, &c. they know nothing of the gospel. The\njesuits indeed once made many converts to popery among the Chinese;\nbut their highest aim seemed to be to obtain their good opinion; for\nthough the converts professed themselves Christians, yet they were\nallowed to honour the image of CONFUCIUS their great law-giver; and at\nlength their ambitious intrigues brought upon them the displeasure of\ngovernment, which terminated in the suppression of the mission, and\nalmost, if not entirely, of the Christian name. It is also a\nmelancholy fact, that the vices of Europeans have been communicated\nwherever they themselves have been; so that the religious state of\neven heathens has been rendered worse by intercourse with them!\n\nFOURTHLY, a very great proportion of Asia and Africa, with some part\nof Europe, are _Mahometans_; and those in Persia, who are of the sect\nof _Hali_, are the most inveterate enemies to the Turks; and they in\nreturn abhor the Persians. The Africans are some of the most ignorant\nof all the mahometans; especially the Arabs, who are scattered through\nall the northern parts of Africa, and live upon the depredations which\nthey are continually making upon their neighbours.\n\nFIFTHLY, in respect to those who bear the Christian name, a very great\ndegree of ignorance and immorality abounds amongst them. There are\nChristians, so called, of the greek and armenian churches, in all the\nmahometan countries; but they are, if possible, more ignorant and\nvicious than the mahometans themselves. The Georgian Christians, who\nare near the Caspian Sea, maintain themselves by selling their\nneighbours, relations, and children, for slaves to the Turks and\nPersians. And it is remarked, that if any of the greeks of Anatolia\nturn  mussulmen, the Turks never set any store by them, on account of\ntheir being so much noted for dissimulation and hypocrisy. It is well\nknown that most of the members of the greek church are very ignorant.\nPapists also are in general ignorant of divine things, and very\nvicious. Nor do the bulk of the church of England much exceed them,\neither in knowledge or holiness; and many errors, and much looseness\nof conduct, are to be found amongst dissenters of all denominations.\nThe lutherans in Denmark, are much on a par with the ecclesiastics in\nEngland; and the face of most Christian countries presents a dreadful\nscene of ignorance, hypocrisy, and profligacy. Various baneful, and\npernicious errors appear to gain ground, in almost every part of\nChristendom; the truths of the gospel, and even the gospel itself, are\nattacked, and every method that the enemy can invent is employed to\nundermine the kingdom of our Lord Jesus Christ.\n\nAll these things are loud calls to Christians, and especially to\nministers, to exert themselves to the utmost in their several spheres\nof action, and to try to enlarge them as much as possible.\n\n\n\n\n                              SECT. IV.\n\n\n        _The Practicability of something being done, more than\n          what is done, for the Conversion of the Heathen._\n\n\nThe impediments in the way of carrying the gospel among the heathen\nmust arise, I think, from one or other of the following things;\n--either their distance from us, their barbarous and savage manner of\nliving, the danger of being killed by them, the difficulty of\nprocuring the necessaries of life, or the unintelligibleness of their\nlanguages.\n\nFIRST, as to their distance from us, whatever objections might have\nbeen made on that account before the invention of the mariner's\ncompass, nothing can be alledged for it, with any colour of\nplausibility in the present age.   Men can now sail with as much\ncertainty through the Great South Sea, as they can through the\nMediterranean, or any lesser Sea.   Yea, and providence seems in a\nmanner to invite us to the trial, as there are to our knowledge\ntrading companies, whose commerce lies in many of the places where,\nthese barbarians dwell. At one time or other ships are sent to visit\nplaces of more recent discovery, and to explore parts the most\nunknown; and every fresh account of their ignorance, or cruelty,\nshould call forth our pity, and excite us to concur with providence in\nseeking their eternal good. Scripture likewise seems to point out this\nmethod, _Surely the Isles shall wait for me; the ships of Tarshish\nfirst, to bring my sons from far, their silver, and their gold with\nthem, unto the name of the Lord, thy God._ Isai. lx. 9. This seems to\nimply that in the time of the glorious increase of the church, in the\nlatter days, (of which the whole chapter is undoubtedly a prophecy,)\ncommerce shall subserve the spread of the gospel. The ships of\nTarshish were trading vessels, which made voyages for traffic to\nvarious parts; thus much therefore must be meant by it, that\n_navigation_, especially that which is _commercial_, shall be one\ngreat mean of carrying on the work of God;  and perhaps it may imply\nthat there shall be a very considerable appropriation of wealth to\nthat purpose.\n\nSECONDLY, as to their uncivilized, and barbarous way of living, this\ncan be no objection to any, except those whose love of ease renders\nthem unwilling to expose themselves to inconveniencies for the good of\nothers.\n\nIt was no objection to the apostles and their successors, who went\namong the barbarous _Germans_ and _Gauls_, and still more barbarous\n_Britons_! They did not wait for the ancient inhabitants of these\ncountries, to be civilized, before they could be christianized, but\nwent simply with the doctrine of the cross; and TERTULLIAN could boast\nthat \"those parts of Britain which were proof against the Roman\narmies, were conquered by the gospel of Christ\"--It was no objection\nto an ELLIOT, or a BRAINERD, in later times. They went forth, and\nencountered every difficulty of the kind, and found that a cordial\nreception of the gospel produced those happy effects which the longest\nintercourse with Europeans, without it could never accomplish. It _is_\nno objection to commercial men. It only requires that we should have\nas much love to the souls of our fellow-creatures, and fellow sinners,\nas they have for the profits arising from a few otter-skins, and all\nthese difficulties would be easily surmounted.\n\nAfter all, the uncivilized state of the heathen, instead of affording\nan objection _against_ preaching the gospel to them, ought to furnish\nan argument _for_ it. Can we as men, or as christians, hear that a\ngreat part of our fellow creatures, whose souls are as immortal as\nours, and who are as capable as ourselves, of adorning the gospel, and\ncontributing by their preaching, writings, or practices to the glory\nof our Redeemer's name, and the good of his church, are inveloped in\nignorance and barbarism? Can we hear that they are without the gospel,\nwithout government, without laws, and without arts, and sciences; and\nnot exert ourselves to introduce amongst them the sentiments of men,\nand of Christians? Would not the spread of the gospel be the most\neffectual mean of their civilization? Would not that make them useful\nmembers of society? We know that such effects did in a measure follow\nthe afore-mentioned efforts of _Elliot_, _Brainerd_, and others\namongst the American Indians; and if similar attempts were made in\nother parts of the world, and succeeded with a divine blessing (which\nwe have every reason to think they would) might we not expect to see\nable Divines, or read well-conducted treatises in defence of the\ntruth, even amongst those who at present seem to be scarcely human?\n\nTHIRDLY, _In respect to the danger of being killed by them_, it is\ntrue that whoever does go must put his life in his hand, and not\nconsult with flesh and blood; but do not the goodness of the cause,\nthe duties incumbent on us as the creatures of God, and Christians,\nand the perishing state of our fellow men, loudly call upon us to\nventure all and use every warrantable exertion for their benefit? PAUL\nand BARNABAS, who _hazarded their lives for the name of our Lord Jesus\nChrist_, were not blamed as being rash, but commended for so doing,\nwhile JOHN MARK who through timidity of mind deserted them in their\nperilous undertaking, was branded with censure. After all, as has been\nalready observed, I greatly question whether most of the barbarities\npracticed by the savages upon those who have visited them, have not\noriginated in some real or supposed affront, and were therefore, more\nproperly, acts of self-defence, than proofs of ferocious dispositions.\nNo wonder if the imprudence of sailors should prompt them to offend\nthe simple savage, and the offence be resented; but _Elliot_,\n_Brainerd_, and the _Moravian missionaries_, have been very seldom\nmolested. Nay, in general the heathen have shewed a willingness to\nhear the word; and have principally expressed their hatred of\nChristianity on account of the vices of nominal Christians.\n\nFOURTHLY, _As to the difficulty of procuring the necessaries of life_,\nthis would not be so great as may appear at first sight; for though we\ncould not procure European food, yet we might procure such as the\nnatives of those countries which we visit, subsist upon themselves.\nAnd this would only be passing through what we have virtually engaged,\nin by entering on the ministerial office. A Christian minister is a\nperson who in a peculiar sense is _not his own_; he is the _servant_\nof God, and therefore ought to be wholly devoted to him. By entering\non that sacred office he solemnly undertakes to be always engaged, as\nmuch as possible, in the Lord's work, and not to chuse his own\npleasure, or employment, or pursue the ministry as a something that is\nto subserve his own ends, or interests, or as a kind of bye-work. He\nengages to go where God pleases, and to do, or endure what he sees fit\nto command, or call him to, in the exercise of his function. He\nvirtually bids farewell to friends, pleasures, and comforts, and\nstands in readiness to endure the greatest sufferings in the work of\nhis Lord, and Master. It is inconsistent for ministers to please\nthemselves with thoughts of a numerous auditory, cordial friends, a\ncivilized country, legal protection, affluence, splendor, or even a\ncompetency. The flights, and hatred of men, and even pretended\nfriends, gloomy prisons, and tortures, the society of barbarians of\nuncouth speech, miserable accommodations in wretched wildernesses,\nhunger, and thirst, nakedness, weariness, and painfulness, hard work,\nand but little worldly encouragement, should rather be the objects of\ntheir expectation. Thus the apostles acted, in the primitive times,\nand endured hardness, as good soldiers of Jesus Christ; and though we\nliving in a civilized country where Christianity is protected by law,\nare not called to suffer these things while we continue here, yet I\nquestion whether all are justified in staying here, while so many are\nperishing without means of grace in other lands. Sure I am that it is\nentirely contrary to the spirit of the gospel, for its ministers to\nenter upon it from interested motives, or with great worldly\nexpectations. On the contrary the commission is a sufficient call to\nthem to venture all, and, like the primitive Christians, go every\nwhere preaching the gospel.\n\nIt might be necessary, however, for two, at least, to go together, and\nin general I should think it best that they should be married men, and\nto prevent their time from being employed in procuring necessaries,\ntwo, or more, other persons, with their wives and families, might also\naccompany them, who should be wholly employed in providing for them.\nIn most countries it would be necessary for them to cultivate a little\nspot of ground just for their support, which would be a resource to\nthem, whenever their supplies failed. Not to mention the advantages\nthey would reap from each others company, it would take off the\nenormous expence which has always attended undertakings of this kind,\nthe first expence being the whole; for though a large colony needs\nsupport for a considerable time, yet so small a number would, upon\nreceiving the first crop, maintain themselves. They would have the\nadvantage of choosing their situation, their wants would be few; the\nwomen, and even the children, would be necessary for domestic\npurposes; and a few articles of stock, as a cow or two, and a bull,\nand a few other cattle of both sexes, a very few utensils of\nhusbandry, and some corn to sow their land, would be sufficient. Those\nwho attend the missionaries should understand husbandry, fishing,\nfowling, &c. and be provided with the necessary implements for these\npurposes. Indeed a variety of methods may be thought of, and when once\nthe work is undertaken, many things will suggest themselves to us, of\nwhich we at present can form no idea.\n\nFIFTHLY, As to _learning their languages_, the same means would be\nfound necessary here as in trade between different nations. In some\ncases interpreters might be obtained, who might be employed for a\ntime; and where these were not to be found, the missionaries must have\npatience, and mingle with the people, till they have learned so much\nof their language as to be able to communicate their ideas to them in\nit. It is well known to require no very extraordinary talents to\nlearn, in the space of a year, or two at most, the language of any\npeople upon earth, so much of it at least, as to be able to convey any\nsentiments we wish to their understandings.\n\nThe Missionaries must be men of great piety, prudence, courage, and\nforbearance; of undoubted orthodoxy in their sentiments, and must\nenter with all their hearts into the spirit of their mission; they\nmust be willing to leave all the comforts of life behind them, and to\nencounter all the hardships of a torrid, or a frigid climate, an\nuncomfortable manner of living, and every other inconvenience that can\nattend this undertaking. Clothing, a few knives, powder and shot,\nfishing-tackle, and the articles of husbandry above-mentioned, must be\nprovided for them; and when arrived at the place of their destination,\ntheir first business must be to gain some acquaintance with the\nlanguage of the natives, (for which purpose two would be better than\none,) and by all lawful means to endeavour to cultivate a friendship\nwith them, and as soon as possible let them know the errand for which\nthey were sent. They must endeavour to convince them that it was their\ngood alone, which induced them to forsake their friends, and all the\ncomforts of their native country. They must be very careful not to\nresent injuries which may be offered to them, nor to think highly of\nthemselves, so as to despise the poor heathens, and by those means lay\na foundation for their resentment, or rejection of the gospel. They\nmust take every opportunity of doing them good, and labouring, and\ntravelling, night and day, they must instruct, exhort, and rebuke,\nwith all long suffering, and anxious desire for them, and, above all,\nmust be instant in prayer for the effusion of the Holy Spirit upon the\npeople of their charge. Let but missionaries of the above description\nengage in the work, and we shall see that it is not impracticable.\n\nIt might likewise be of importance, if God should bless their labours,\nfor them to encourage any appearances of gifts amongst the people of\ntheir charge; if such should be raised up many advantages would be\nderived from their knowledge of the language, and customs of their\ncountrymen; and their change of conduct would give great weight to\ntheir ministrations.\n\n\n\n\n                              SECT.  V.\n\n\n       _An Enquiry into the Duty of Christians in general, and\n     what Means ought to be used, in order to promote this Work._\n\n\nIf the prophecies concerning the increase of Christ's kingdom be true,\nand if what has been advanced, concerning the commission given by him\nto his disciples being obligatory on us, be just, it must be inferred\nthat all Christians ought heartily to concur with God in promoting his\nglorious designs, for _he that is joined to the Lord is one spirit_.\n\nOne of the first, and most important of those duties which are\nincumbent upon us, is _fervent and united prayer_. However the\ninfluence of the Holy Spirit may be set at nought, and run down by\nmany, it will be found upon trial, that all means which we can use,\nwithout it, will be ineffectual. If a temple is raised for God in the\nheathen world, it will not be _by might, nor by power_, nor by the\nauthority of the magistrate, or the eloquence of the orator; _but by\nmy Spirit, saith the Lord of Hosts_. We must therefore be in real\nearnest in supplicating his blessing upon our labours.\n\nIt is represented in the prophets, that when there shall be _a great\nmourning in the land, as the mourning of Hadadrimmon in the valley of\nMegiddon, and every family shall mourn apart, and their wives apart_,\nit shall all follow upon _a spirit of grace, and supplication_. And\nwhen these things shall take place, it is promised that _there shall\nbe a fountain opened for the house of David, and for the inhabitants\nof Jerusalem, for sin, and for uncleanness_,--and that _the idols\nshall be destroyed_, and _the false prophets ashamed_ of their\nprofession. Zech. xii 10. 14.--xiii. 1. 6. This prophesy seems to\nteach that when there shall be an universal conjunction in fervent\nprayer, and all shall esteem Zion's welfare as their own, then copious\ninfluences of the Spirit shall be shed upon the churches, which like a\npurifying _fountain_ shall cleanse the servants of the Lord. Nor shall\nthis cleansing influence stop here; all old idolatrous prejudices\nshall be rooted out, and truth prevail so gloriously that false\nteachers shall be so ashamed as rather to wish to be classed with\nobscure herdsmen, or the meanest peasants, than bear the ignominy\nattendant on their detection.\n\nThe most glorious works of grace that have ever took place, have been\nin answer to prayer; and it is in this way, we have the greatest\nreason to suppose, that the glorious out-pouring of the Spirit, which\nwe expect at last, will be bestowed.\n\nWith respect to our own immediate connections, we have within these\nfew years been favoured with some tokens for good, granted in answer\nto prayer, which should encourage us to persist, and increase in that\nimportant duty.  I trust our _monthly prayer-meetings_ for the success\nof the gospel have not been in vain.  It is true a want of importunity\ntoo generally attends our prayers; yet unimportunate, and feeble as\nthey have been, it is to be believed that God has heard, and in a\nmeasure answered them.  The churches that have engaged in the practice\nhave in general since that time been evidently on the increase; some\ncontroversies which have long perplexed and divided the church, are\nmore clearly stated than ever; there are calls to preach the gospel in\nmany places where it has not been usually published; yea, a glorious\ndoor is opened, and is likely to be opened wider and wider, by the\nspread of civil and religious liberty, accompanied also by a\ndiminution of the spirit of popery; a noble effort has been made to\nabolish the inhuman Slave-Trade, and though at present it has not been\nso successful as might be wished, yet it is to be hoped it will be\npersevered in, till it is accomplished.  In the mean time it is a\nsatisfaction to consider that the late defeat of the abolition of the\nSlave-Trade has proved the occasion of a praise worthy effort to\nintroduce a free settlement, at _Sierra Leona_, on the coast of\nAfrica; an effort which, if succeeded with a divine blessing, not only\npromises to open a way for honourable commerce with that extensive\ncountry, and for the civilization of its inhabitants, but may prove\nthe happy mean of introducing amongst them the gospel of our Lord\nJesus Christ.\n\nThese are events that ought not to be over-looked; they are not to be\nreckoned small things; and yet perhaps they _are_ small compared with\nwhat might have been expected, if all had cordially entered into the\nspirit of the proposal, so as to have made the cause of Christ their\nown, or in other words to have been so solicitous about it, as if\ntheir own advantage depended upon its success. If an holy solicitude\nhad prevailed in all the assemblies of Christians in behalf of their\nRedeemer's kingdom, we might probably have seen before now, not only\nan _open door_ for the gospel, but _many running to and fro, and\nknowledge increased_; or a diligent use of those means which\nprovidence has put in our power, accompanied with a greater blessing\nthan ordinary from heaven.\n\nMany can do nothing but pray, and prayer is perhaps the only thing in\nwhich Christians of all denominations can cordially, and unreservedly\nunite; but in this we may all be one, and in this the strictest\nunanimity ought to prevail. Were the whole body thus animated by one\nsoul, with what pleasure would Christians attend on all the duties of\nreligion, and with what delight would their ministers attend on all\nthe business of their calling.\n\nWe must not be contented however with praying, without _exerting\nourselves in the use of means_ for the obtaining of those things we\npray for. Were _the children of light_, but _as wise in their\ngeneration as the children of this world_, they would stretch every\nnerve to gain so glorious a prize, nor ever imagine that it was to be\nobtained in any other way.\n\nWhen a trading company have obtained their charter they usually go to\nits utmost limits; and their stocks, their ships, their officers, and\nmen are so chosen, and regulated, as to be likely to answer their\npurpose; but they do not stop here, for encouraged by the prospect of\nsuccess, they use every effort, cast their bread upon the waters,\ncultivate friendship with every one from whose information they expect\nthe least advantage. They cross the widest and most tempestuous seas,\nand encounter the most unfavourable climates; they introduce\nthemselves into the most barbarous nations, and sometimes undergo the\nmost affecting hardships; their minds continue in a state of anxiety,\nand suspence, and a longer delay than usual in the arrival of their\nvessels agitates them with a thousand changeful thoughts, and\nforeboding apprehensions, which continue till the rich returns are\nsafe arrived in port. But why these fears? Whence all these\ndisquietudes, and this labour? Is it not because their souls enter\ninto the spirit of the project, and their happiness in a manner\ndepends on its success?--Christians are a body whose truest interest\nlies in the exaltation of the Messiah's kingdom. Their charter is very\nextensive, their encouragements exceeding great, and the returns\npromised infinitely superior to all the gains of the most lucrative\nfellowship. Let then every one in his station consider himself as\nbound to act with all his might, and in every possible way for God.\n\nSuppose a company of serious Christians, ministers and private\npersons, were to form themselves into a society, and make a number of\nrules respecting the regulation of the plan, and the persons who are\nto be employed as missionaries, the means of defraying the expence,\n&c. &c. This society must consist of persons whose hearts are in the\nwork,  men of serious religion, and possessing a spirit of\nperseverance; there must be a determination not to admit any person\nwho is not of this description, or to retain him longer than he\nanswers to it.\n\nFrom such a society a _committee_ might be appointed, whose business\nit should be to procure all the information they could upon the\nsubject, to receive contributions, to enquire into the characters,\ntempers, abilities and religious views of the missionaries, and also\nto provide them with necessaries for their undertakings.\n\nThey must also pay a great attention to the views of those who\nundertake this work; for want of this the missions to the Spice\nIslands, sent by the Dutch East-India Company, were soon corrupted,\nmany going more for the sake of settling in a place where temporal\ngain invited them, than of preaching to the poor Indians. This soon\nintroduced a number of indolent, or profligate persons, whose lives\nwere a scandal to the doctrines which they preached: and by means of\nwhom the gospel was ejected from Ternate, in 1694, and Christianity\nfell into great disrepute in other places.\n\nIf there is any reason for me to hope that I shall have any influence\nupon any of my brethren, and fellow Christians, probably it may be\nmore especially amongst them of my own denomination. I would therefore\npropose that such a society and committee should be formed amongst the\n_particular baptist denomination_.\n\nI do not mean by this, in any wife to confine it to one denomination\nof Christians. I wish with all my heart, that every one who loves our\nLord Jesus Christ in sincerity, would in some way or other engage in\nit. But in the present divided state of Christendom, it would be more\nlikely for good to be done by each denomination engaging separately in\nthe work, than if they were to embark in it conjointly. There is room\nenough for us all, without interfering with each other; and if no\nunfriendly interference took place, each denomination would bear good\nwill to the other, and wish, and pray for its success, considering it\nas upon the whole friendly to the great cause of true religion; but if\nall were intermingled, it is likely their private discords might throw\na damp upon their spirits, and much retard their public usefulness.\n\nIn respect to _contributions_ for defraying the expences, money will\ndoubtless be wanting; and suppose the rich were to embark a portion of\nthat wealth over which God has made them stewards, in this important\nundertaking, perhaps there are few ways that would turn to a better\naccount at last. Nor ought it to be confined to the _rich_; if persons\nin more moderate circumstances were to devote a portion, suppose a\n_tenth_, of their annual increase to the Lord, it would not only\ncorrespond with the practice of the Israelites, who lived under the\nMosaic Oeconomy, but of the patriarchs Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob,\nbefore that dispensation commenced. Many of our most eminent\nfore-fathers amongst the _Puritans_, followed that practice; and if\nthat were but attended to now, there would not only be enough to\nsupport the ministry of the gospel at home, and to encourage _village\npreaching_ in our respective neighbourhoods, but to defray the\nexpences of carrying the gospel into the heathen world.\n\nIf congregations were to open subscriptions of _one penny_, or more\nper week, according to their circumstances, and deposit it as a fund\nfor the propogation of the gospel, much might be raised in this way.\nBy such simple means they might soon have it in their power to\nintroduce the preaching of the gospel into most of the villages in\nEngland; where, though men are placed whose business it should be to\ngive light to those who sit in darkness, it is well known that they\nhave it not. Where there was no person to open his house for the\nreception of the gospel, some other building might be procured for a\nsmall sum, and even then something considerable might be spared for\nthe baptist, or other committees, for propogating the gospel amongst\nthe heathen.\n\nMany persons have of late left off the use of _West-India sugar_ on\naccount of the iniquitous manner in which it is obtained. Those\nfamilies who have done so, and have not substituted any thing else in\nits place, have not only cleansed their hands of blood, but have made\na saving to their families, some of six pence, and some of a shilling\na week. If this, or a part of this were appropriated to the uses\nbefore-mentioned, it would abundantly suffice. We have only to keep\nthe end in view, and have our hearts thoroughly engaged in the pursuit\nof it, and means will not be very difficult.\n\nWe are exhorted _to lay up treasure in heaven, where neither moth nor\nrust doth corrupt, nor thieves break through and steal._ It is also\ndeclared that _whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap._\nThese Scriptures teach us that the enjoyments of the life to come,\nbear a near relation to that which now is; a relation similar to that\nof the harvest, and the seed. It is true all the reward is of mere\ngrace, but it is nevertheless encouraging; what a _treasure_, what an\n_harvest_ must await such characters as PAUL, and ELLIOT, and\nBRAINERD, and others, who have given themselves wholly to the work of\nthe Lord. What a heaven will it be to see the many myriads of poor\nheathens, of Britons amongst the rest, who by their labours have been\nbrought to the knowledge of God. Surely a _crown of rejoicing_ like\nthis is worth aspiring to. Surely it is worth while to lay ourselves\nout with all our might, in promoting the cause, and kingdom of Christ.\n\n\n                                FINIS.","title":"An Enquiry into the Obligations of Christians to Use Means for the Conversion of the Heathens: In Which the Religious State of the Different Nations of the World, the Success of Former Undertakings, and the Practicability of Further Undertakings, Are Considered","tradition":"scripture-revelation","translated_text":null,"word_count":14888}